Reap What You Sow
by Inside your mind
Summary: Everyone knows how Haley died. But sometimes a story has a secret truth behind it. What -or who- really set the Boston Reaper on his attack? (Hotch,Haley,Foyet,OC) FINISHED
1. Chapter 1

((A/N: I am **NOT** making money from anything I write with the characters from CBS' Criminal Minds. This is purely for fun. All characters belong to CBS and the show's producers except for the original characters, Dashelle (Dash) and the other random characters in the story. **If you don't know them from the show then I own them.** R/R appreciated and thanks for stopping by….))

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**REAP ****WHAT YOU SOW**

**1-**

Everyone knows the tragic story about how FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit chief, Aaron Hotchner, lost his wife to serial killer, George "The Boston Reaper" Foyet. At least what the papers and TV news and investigative documents all printed and released.

But sometimes what happens even in the news isn't the …_true_…story.

It all started a little over 3 months before Hotch's wife, Haley, had left him due to the fact to her his job with the FBI meant more than being with her and their, at the time, one year old son, Jack.. But she had it all wrong. Hotch was devoted to his family, yes, but he was also devoted to his job because it meant that he was able to help the innocent people find justice and make the world just a bit safer for Jack as he grew up.

But there was also someone else in this picture. The 15 year old girl that lived across town from them named Dashelle Ramsey. Dash was an A student in high school and planned to graduate early so she could get a good start for Georgetown to pursue her idea of being a lawyer. She was well-liked in the neighborhood, friends with everyone and kind beyond fault. She gave of herself any way she could and when her mother heard Haley talking to someone at the salon one day about a babysitter, Dash's mom offered up Dash. Everyone in the salon knew the girl and vouched for her so Haley would take up the offer.

That Friday when Hotch came home after a long day of paperwork at the office, he first met the blonde and something in him…clicked. She was bright and funny and uncommonly sweet. Jack seemed to love her to death and she saw Hotch and Haley off for the night out and for the first time in a long time, they both actually were able to relax about leaving Jack with a sitter.

For the next three months, Dash became the little boy's permanent sitter even to the point where Haley found she trusted the girl implicitly and even let her pick Jack up from daycare while the missus did some shopping or spent time with friends.

Hotch found himself also never really worrying about his son, feeling that finally he'd found someone that he trusted to make sure the boy was safe. Of course, being in the BAU, he'd done a thorough background check on her and her family. She was living with her aunt across town just out of the city limits. But they were clean as even Aaron's own family. For that matter, maybe even cleaner. As he sat at his desk and stared out the window, he thought about how lately Haley seemed…distracted. Distant. He even sometimes found himself questioning if she hadn't been watching Jack closely enough. He loved Haley. After all, she _was_ his wife…but still. Images creep in and every so often it's hard to fight them off. But with Dash around and knowing she was taking care of Jack, it didn't matter what Haley did with her "free time" any more.

A few more months went by and it seemed that Hotch was making it more of a habit to come home on time with the premise to "see his son" and frequently finding Haley NOT there, but Dash making dinner for Jack and even Hotch when he was able to make it. He was also fighting other emotions coming along that seemed to be picking up steam as he tried to push them aside. One was that he was beginning to care for Dash.

Not the normal "she's part of the family" caring…but something. Deeper. Something he was finding he was losing with his wife. As the days wore on it seemed that Haley also noticed and became more possessive of her family. It all came to a head one night when they'd gone to dinner with some friends and it was all the same. Dash was sitting with Jack. They went out but on the drive home, Hotch could feel the change in the air and knew this wasn't going to be even a "quiet" ride home which he realized that he was beginning to like more than actually having to listen to her.

As the car stopped at a red light, Hotch was trying to focus on the road. Haley was going on about the dinner and their friends, the Macks, and how she thought that Amanda had every right to say what she did to her husband.

"But there's a difference of trying to make him look like a fool in public rather than keep it at home and personal." Hotch said and before the last word left his lips he was damning himself. He _knew_ he should have kept quiet.

Haley was quiet until the light changed to green and when the car started again, she said quietly, "Yes. But when he's so adamant to be an ass and destroy his marriage."

"I'm sure he didn't _want_ to destroy his marriage, Haley. Sometimes we all make mistakes."

"Of course. And sleeping with your intern isn't a mistake." She said and Hotch could hear it. That underlying tone in her voice. He was screwed.

"Maybe we should talk about something else?" he tried.

"Yeah, maybe we should." She agreed and after a breath or two, she said, "I really think you should take that other job. The white collar that Strauss had offered."

He shot a look at her and couldn't stop the little smile. "You want me home every night for dinner…"

She stared at him and said in a curt voice. "Yes. Yes I do."

He was trying. "So that means more nights out…more fun. You really think we can handle all that?"

"I also think that we should get rid of Dash."

Hotch's heart stopped for a moment. "Wh-wait…what?"

"If you're going to be home at nights we don't need her to watch Jack. I'm sure I can get Jessica to do it. I'm sure Dash would be glad to have the time to do other things with kids her age."

"But she's also working to save money for college. And if you want those romantic nights out….we could at least help her." A look at his wife. "Rather than say, bother Jess or 'expect' her to just be available."

Haley snorted. "Jess will do it free. We can save the money."

Hotch didn't say anything at first…but his brain was racing. Dash was his only light in a dreary marriage and he knew if he defended her more then Haley would start making accusations. There WAS nothing going on…but he did adore the girl and her perseverance to support herself to get to college. He knew if he kept fighting Haley would go ballistic, but for some insane reason, this time Hotch wasn't about to let it go. "I think we'll keep employing Dash." He said in that manner he had.

Haley stared at him. "I'm _**not**_ asking, Aaron." She said, more coldly. "This isn't negotiable."

"Haley…I rarely put my foot down on things. I know you think we could do better with Jessica watching Jack but Dash doesn't go out, she studies in every free minute she isn't in school. She's been responsible and very good and Jack loves her to death."

The icy cold in the car was nothing compared to the outside in the Virginia winter. "Why are you so positive about this?"

Hotch's eyes went back to the road and he swallowed. He'd faced killers capable of tearing him to shreds with just their hands. He'd faced perverts and people that had killed innocent children with less than a thought, not to mention family annihilators. But for some reason, the woman he'd loved more than life at one point was the one force right now that – if he'd been standing – would weaken him to the point of sitting down. "Because I…just don't want to cut the girl off. We're really the only ones she's working for all the time. And at a moment's notice she's always willing to come and watch Jack."

Haley's glare wasn't fading. "Or…?"

Hotch frowned and looked over at her as he stopped at the corner just before turning down their street. "What do you mean?"

"You're….You're having an AFFAIR with her, aren't you?!"

The mere thought wasn't what angered him more. It was the fact of her accusing him in "_that_" tone. "Be SERIOUS!" he said.

"I am! You've SLEEPING with her! AREN'T YOU? **ADMIT IT**! That's why you were so sympathetic with Jason tonight! It's not that it should have been 'private'! It's because YOU are doing the SAME damn thing! Oh my GOD, Aaron! What….WHY…?!"

Hotch pulled into the driveway of their house and turned off the engine. "Haley Ann! I don't know WHAT the hell's gotten into you, but NO. I am _**NOT**_ sleeping with Dash. God KNOWS you've given me _plenty_ of reason…but I have nothing but respect for the girl and with my **JOB**, I'd _**think**_ you'd think I KNEW better than to commit a felony just because my WIFE is having issues with –"

She slapped him.

Not hard. Open handed. It stung but more surprised him. He grabbed her wrist in defense mode, and they stared at each other. He finally sighed. "Haley, listen. I don't know what's going on. I'm _not_ sleeping with Dash. You have to believe me-"

A snarl back at him. "Oh like I _believed_ you all those times you said you'd quit the BAU and didn't? All those times you **SWORE** you'd be home for this or that and you _weren't_? Right. And you wonder WHY I have 'issues'?!"

She jerked her arm away from him and stuck a finger in his chest. "Take. Her. Home. And tell her not to expect any more calls."

"Haley, please…" he said quietly.

"If you don't do it, Aaron. I _will_. And I won't be as _nice_ as **you** want to be."

She opened the car door and got out, storming to the house and inside. Once inside, Haley snubbed Dash completely, going immediately upstairs to check on her son.

Dash blinked as she walked by, then a look at Hotch. "D-did I…?"

He shook his head and nodded at the door. "Come on. I'll take you home."

She gathered her coat and backpack and they left, Hotch opening the car door for her and letting her get in then going around to the driver's side and getting in as well.

"Was it something I did?" she asked finally when they were about halfway home.

Hotch sighed softly and shook his head. "No. I…she's just been having a rough time and you and I got caught up in the storm." He looked over at her with a small smile. "Don't worry."

They went on the rest of the way and Hotch pulled up into the driveway, turning off the engine. Dash looked over at him with a grin as she reached down to grab her backpack before opening the car door. "Thanks for the ride. See you next time?"

Hotch grabbed her hand. "Dash, wait…."

She stopped and the smile slowly faded. "What is it?"

Hotch didn't see any "easy" way out of it. "I…we…." SIGH. "Haley….said we don't need a sitter any more. She's going to be home more…and I told her I was going to try to get that nine to five in the white collar division."

A slight frown furrowed her brow. "You told me that that would be close to death. You don't _want_ that."

"Sometimes it's not about what…ONE…person wants. But what two want."

"Soooooo ,,,"

"This….will be the last time we….need you."

Their eyes met and in that instant he hated himself. But hated Haley more. Sure, Dash was a teenager. In twenty years she wouldn't even remember them or him. Maybe that was what hurt him more. He reached over with his free hand to cup her face and a thumb brushed her cheek.

"We'll see each other around, though, right?" she asked in a broken mumble.

Okay how the hell was he supposed to answer THAT one? Sigh. "M-maybe…"

Dash tried not to show she was upset. Most of all she tried to hide those feelings she'd been having for him all these months herself. But she was failing and she didn't want him to catch on.

But the best profiler in the FBI saw it all too clear. And he didn't want to show he knew but the electricity between them was….

In that moment, Dash knew she had nothing to lose and she leaned forward and pressed her lips so softly to his not expecting the reaction she got from him. Rather than pull away and condemn her for such a move after what he'd just told her…Hotch's left hand slipped behind the girl's neck, holding her in the kiss another minute before he'd let her go.

Dash studied his brown eyes…and saw it there. Saw the hurt, pain and the hopelessness. She gave him another brush of lips against his before she got out of the car and headed into the house. Hotch started the car…the taste of her still on his lips as he backed out of the driveway and headed home. Dash peered through the curtains watching him….and plotting.

No one would get away with make him feel like this.

No matter what she had to do…

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TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**"****It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime..." - Khaled.**

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The months dragged on.

Then it was a year…then two.

Haley had filed for divorce after being separated from Hotch and realizing that he wasn't going to drop everything to "make her happy". She'd taken Jack and left while he was on a case. Granted, he knew he shouldn't have gone but Morgan and the others were asking for his help and when he heard that Strauss was making their lives miserable, he realized he had no choice.

But when he came back?

Everything of hers and Jack's was cleaned out. And Hotch knew exactly where she'd gone. He began packing his clothes in his suitcases, made a couple of calls and found an apartment across town, leaving the house he'd loved for so many years. But didn't he hear more than once that change sometimes was necessary? Besides, this left the house to Haley and she and Jack could move back in so the boy could grow up where he'd lived the since he was born.

The three bedroom apartment would do fine for Hotch. It was a place to sleep and eat and work when he brought it home. And maybe in the off chance Haley would let him have Jack for a couple or so days, he'd have Jack a room of his own. Not that he actually expected _that_ to happen. But all he could see was she was right. Sure he'd lied about quitting the BAU. Sure he was gone for days and once or twice for even a couple of weeks. To her, he always had his mind on work it seemed, but in all honesty? When he was with Jack and Haley he shut off work as much as he could, but that didn't mean his heart didn't jump when he had a "day off" and the phone rang.

Now? It didn't matter. For fact, the first year in his apartment he was still unpacking and putting things away, buying new things, furniture and all, but days off he stared at the phone on the counter _begging_ it to ring. Willing work to call and he'd be needed. He knew Haley would never call. Let's be honest. That bridge was burned. But Hotch couldn't fault her. Finally, one morning when he couldn't stand it any more, he put on shorts, a t-shirt, running shoes and made his way to the park. He parked his car and started out on the trail. The snow had melted from the light winter they'd just gone through and an early spring was predicted which seemed possible as it was almost 11 a.m. on a clear April morning and close to 74 degrees. Picking a nice trail, Hotch stretched and warmed up, then started into that mile eating run as he closed his mind and just concentrated on breathing and the whole outdoors around him.

At least until he saw her.

It'd been what…two years?

Dash was sitting with a small group other teenagers, a couple of boys and girls, on one of the picnic benches, laughing and drinking a bottle of water, also dressed as if she'd been running as well.

Hotch lost all train of "non" thought and slowed to a jog, then to a stop, panting and wiping his face with his arm. Dash laughed at some joke the boy had made and as she took a drink from her water bottle, she saw Hotch on the trail. A smile and a wave to him would get her a….wait. Should he wave back? What if….but she's a friend. He smiled and offered a wave back but then she jumped off the table, telling her friends something and ran over to him.

"Hey, you!" she said, a smile as bright as the sunshine above.

"Hey." Hotch said. He wasn't uncomfortable around her. But it was strange. Or so it seemed he shouldn't have a right to talk to her after all that had happened. Hell, he wouldn't blame her if she was pissed at him, either... "How're things going…with…school and…" a look shot up at the other three "…and your friends."

She looked at the others over her shoulder then back at him. "They're not really friends. I know them from school and when I was running by they offered some water. You want?" she said, handing the bottle to him.

At first he was going to say 'No thanks', but he changed his mind and took the bottle, opening it and taking a long drink. Finally when he was done, and screwing the top back on, he gave her another smile. "You run here often?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I like it. Not too many people come this way. They all take the other trails because they're easier. I like a challenge." A playful wink.

Hotch blinked. Wait. Did she just…no. JESUS, man. Get control. "I love this trail. It's always quiet." He said.

"I didn't know you ran!" she said with a grin. "Course I should have known. I know you don't get a lot of time in the gym to keep all this fit." Snickering softly as she patted his stomach.

Hotch flinched at the touch but he didn't know why exactly. Still a grin at the girl. "You done with your run?"

"Not quite. I was just putting it off in hopes a horse or something would go by and I could steal it. Yee haw. Ride 'em, cowboy." She said with a laugh.

"Run with me and I'll treat to lunch?" he asked. It'd be nice to catch up on her again.

Dash thought for a moment and then nodded. "You got it!" and she jogged off, Hotch, still with that grin, following her only to catch up a few yards later.

As they sat at the small café, a quiet little corner booth, sipping on some iced tea, Dash broke the stillness that had fallen over them since they had sat down ten minutes ago.

"I'm…sorry about Haley and all that." She said softly.

He looked at her for a moment then shook his head. "Don't be. It was all my fault."

"It wasn't fair. I heard about it from my mom at the salon. She said everyone is snubbing her. Haley. They were saying she had no right and she was an idiot. She's not even invited back. Heard she went to some other place in town."

Hotch was staring into his iced tea as his mind swirled.

"I think it was Rosie's Dog Wash." She said.

He blinked and looked up at her, "I'm sorry, what was…Dog Wash?"

She laughed and shook her head. You were retreating into that mind of yours. I was just seeing if you could be brought back to the light."

He chuckled quietly. "I'm sorry. I just…sometimes I think and I know I…shouldn't. Besides. I want to know what's going on with you. How's school?"

She snorted softly. "I decided to finish instead of graduating early so I could be with my friends. But then Grad night was a fiasco and THOSE friends are no longer. I met those clowns you saw at the park when I started working at the library."

The library?" he asked.

"I came up a little shorter on tuition than I'd planned so I'm going to work for this year and next and then apply. Besides it gives me work experience."

Hotch studied her for a long minute. In the two years he'd missed her, she'd grown up into an amazing individual. Responsible, caring, a hard worker. "If you were interested, I'd say come work for the FBI."

She laughed a little and shook her head. "If I did you'd never get a moment's quiet. I'd be on the phone all the time bugging you."

He had to laugh as well, but in his mind he heard _Wouldn't be such a bad thing_. "Yeah that's probably not the best idea I've had."

When the food showed up, there was more talk about her and then him and the job...and after they had finished, they went for a walk and even as much as he wanted to keep work and personal separate, he found himself telling her about some recent cases that in a small way here and there still bugged him. But that's the way it had always been with her. She'd been easy to talk to. She listened and didn't judge. She comforted and assured that she understood. To Hotch that meant everything.

Finally they found themselves near the large fountain in the square and sat down on one of the benches. Just as an automatic response, he dropped his arm along the top of the back of the bench and it just felt…right. His emotions were playing tricks on him. He was torn between losing his wife, but her final solution was the divorce and he knew there was no way she was going to take him back. He was missing his son. He was always on edge now as he knew the moment he tried to relax that damn phone would rind. And now look. He'd met up with the one girl that seemed to know him better than he knew himself. And he had no damn clue how to do this any more.

"How's the apartment?" she asked quietly.

"It's fine." Then a playful accusatory look. "How did you know I have an apartment?"

"Oh please." She snorted. "You're middle aged and you drive a respectable car. You have a good job and you just became single again. You're not the type to buy another house. You'd get an apartment. Others might think you'd _rent_ a house, but it's going to be too big, especially if you're always working. You'd want something small and compact that you can leave in a heartbeat and just lock a door."

He stared at her. "Are you _sure_ you don't want to be a profiler?" he asked.

She laughed and shook her head. "Naw. I don't think it'd be appropriate since I know the boss."

He grinned, shaking his head and turned his attention back to the fountain. "This is nice, Dash. Thank you." he finally said after a long pause.

"Okay. You're welcome. How come?"

"For having a chat. For not being in trouble. For not…making me feel small. For just being a friend and being yourself."

"Oh hell, I'm good at that. Gotta be for my future profession."

The sun was going down all too soon when he began to feel the chill of dusk and realized that he'd best get her home. "Come on, Cinderella…let's get you back to the castle," Standing up and offering a hand down to her to help her stand.

She took the hand and stood up, walking close beside him, feeling his arm slide around her protectively. At the car, he opened the passenger door, then closing it once she was in, going to get in behind the wheel and driving towards her home.

Pulling up into the driveway, he looked at the house, seeing no lights on. "Parents not home?"

"They went to Atlantic City for a few days. Should be back Wednesday." She said, opening the car door. "Thanks for the day. It was completely fantastic."

He frowned as she got out, and threw open his own door, getting out as well. "Dash? Wait! Let me at least go in with you in case something's ….to make sure everything's all right."

She smiled over her shoulder at him. "Listen Prince Charming, I'll be fine. Don't worry. I just thought I'd be home this afternoon and didn't leave a light on. I didn't plan on getting hijacked by some good looking old man like you."

Even the 'old man' jabs didn't faze him. He just smiled and caught up to her just before the door and took the key out of her hand, getting between her and the door. "Just shut up." He said, teasingly as he opened the door and slowly pushed it open, listening hard and hearing nothing. "All right. Sounds okay."

She grinned and slipped past him. "Told ya." As she walked in and began throwing switches to turn on the lights.

He'd never been inside, but it was quite the comfy little ranch home. He began to head for the bedrooms down the hall and stopped when he heard her.

"If you're that eager, I'll make breakfast in the morning."

He stopped and felt a sot warmth wash over his face and knew he was blushing and thanked silently the near darkness of the hall. "I just…."

"Yeah yeah I know. You were just making sure. Go ahead. I'm gonna grab some water. Want something?"

"No. Thanks. I'll be right back." And he made his way down the hall, pushing open her parents' door, was clear, then the guest room, clear. The home office. Clear. Then finally her room. He pushed open the door and turned on the light. It was the epitome of innocent. Pastel colors all around. Small posters of kittens, baby wild animals, ecology, peace. Double bed on a pedestal. Light oak furniture. A bookshelf unit in the corner loaded with books on psychology and criminals.

"Did you find him?"

He jumped and looked over his shoulder as she stood there, grinning, holding a water bottle which she took a drink from. "You've been in here or a while. I was worried he'd gotten the best of you. I came to check."

He had to smile and shook his head. "You were right. No one's here. Sorry."

"Oh no, I appreciate it. The fact that you took the time to actually come in and go through everything looking for bad guys. Did you check my underwear drawer?"

Hotch shot a look at her dresser then back at her. "No!"

She loved that priceless expression and leaned close, "He might be there." She whispered.

"Dashelle!"

She couldn't stop the laughter at his suddenly indignant exclaim and just hugged him. "I'm teeeeasing you, you know that. Come on. Let's go. Maybe there's a movie on we can watch!" as she started to turn but suddenly Hotch was hit with that rush of emotion and he would never be able to explain why, but he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her, pushing her back against the wall by the door and a soft, passionate kiss was planted on her lips. The last two years melted away and he was happy. For the first time in a long time, he felt calm and content.

Dash fell into it easily, dropping the bottle onto the floor as her arms wrapped around his neck and suddenly the TV. The movie. Nothing else in this world mattered except they had both been alone but now were together.

As much as how the world was right and they came together with a want and a need or each other, later that night he would get a call. That call would take him away from her and throw his world into a turmoil that he couldn't have ever fathomed.

His cell phone rang at close to 1am and he had to blink a few times to clear his eyes to see who it was. He didn't recognize the number right off, but then when he talked to the person on the other end, after he hung up, he sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and scrubbing his face with his hands.

"Work?" Dash asked as she sat up behind him, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Yeah. Sorry." He mumbled.

She ran fingers through his hair and a kiss to his shoulder. "Don't be. Go on. Call me later when you can?"

He turned to look at her, a small smile playing on his lips as he gave her a kiss and a mumble against her lips. "Most definitely."

"Want me to make you some food?"

"No. I'll be okay. You get some sleep." He said, already grabbing his clothes off the chair nearby. "Can I use your –"

"Shower…go ahead." She said with a yawn as she laid back own but on the side of the bed he'd occupied moments ago.

Hotch took a fast shower, dressed in the only clothes he had and after another quick kiss to the blonde, he headed out to his car. The full chill hit him and he got in, shivering, started it up and headed for Boston.

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TBC


	3. Chapter 3

_/ SO SO SORRY for the unintentional haitus. Between medical and family issues I wasn't able to be around and work on this. But fear not. Soon this will wrap up and we can move on with our little "HateHaley" fest. Yes I have another idea...and will be posting it soon. But for now...let's do this and get back to the story..._

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**"Find a heart that will love you at your worst, and a pair of arms that will hold you at your weakest."**

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It had been a long while.

As Dash sat at the desk in her apartment that morning, she stared at the same paragraph she'd been reading for the last hour. She'd been doing great in school, getting high marks and becoming the darling of her professors. She still ran daily in the park and made new friends, but hadn't seen Aaron since that night when he'd left for Boston.

He'd called a week later to explain that there were circumstances that he had to keep his distance from her that he couldn't explain right now but he would keep in touch. She was good with that. He'd never lied to her before and she knew he wasn't the type to lie. So she plodded on, doing what she had to but always the BAU profiler was in her mind.

She sighed and closed the book, scrubbing her hands over her face and standing up, stretching and throwing a glance outside. Maybe a run would be good. She didn't have a class until 1 so she had at least another four hours. She changed into shorts and a t-shirt and slipped on some sneakers, pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail and headed out. Her apartment was right off of the park which was one reason she secured it and less than a mile from the university.

Once at the park, she broke into an easy lope as she headed on her favorite trail. It was usually good for her to clean her mind when she ran. Concentrating on nothing in particular and just losing herself in the weather, the birds, and the smells of the outside. Dash was one of the rare few that didn't run with music. When she exercised, she did it to relax and cleanse. Music was just that annoying distraction that she didn't need.

She ran near four miles, then headed back to her apartment and as she headed for the shower, she turned on the news while she got ready for classes. After the shower, she slid into a nice warm pair of sweats and a long sleeved shirt since it was forecast to be in the low 50s tonight and it'd be almost 8pm when she'd be getting home. Finally, turning off the TV, grabbing her backpack and heading down to the garage and her little lavender Yaris, then to school.

Classes dragged tonight. For some reason she couldn't focus and her mind wasn't there. "Some reason". Face it. She knew damn well what it was. But actually this was worse than just_ missing_ Aaron. She felt something was….wrong. She had been fine, really, waiting for him to call, which he did about once a week. There was no talk of work or Haley or the divorce. Only life in general and making sure that they were both all right. But it had been almost two weeks. And this was the one thing that worried her the most. If anything, Aaron Hotchner was deliberate and reliable. For him not to call was beyond keeping calm for.

This.

There was this feeling.

And it was bothering Dash beyond belief.

The next morning as she sat at the table, eating a breakfast as she opened the newspaper and on the second page saw it.

**FBI AGENT ATTACKED AND LEFT AT LOCAL HOSPISTAL**

She didn't breathe. She couldn't. But there was Aaron's picture. And the story was sketchy. All it'd said was that he had been dropped off at the hospital with nine stab wounds and was on the edge of death.

"No…." she whimpered softly, suddenly everything was going through her mind at once. _What the hell went on? Who attacked him? _She looked at the phone and her first thought was to call the BAU. But she also knew that they knew, of course and knowing Morgan, Rossi and the others, they'd all be working on it. So no. A call would distract them. As she stared at the picture of Aaron, she heard her alarm go off which meant that it was time for school. She growled at the alarm, hit it to shut it off, and then she got up, grabbing her jacket and heading out to her car.

Twenty minutes later she was standing near the door of his hospital room, watching him as the machines he was hooked up to beeped and kept monitor on everything inside of him. He was asleep. Wrapped up. And it was killing her that she wanted to be there so much at his side. Wait. WHERE was Haley? Did that bitch intentionally mean to keep away from him just because she had no control of him like this? A low growl escaped, but the tears in her eyes belie her true feelings for the agent in the bed.

She was about to go in when she suddenly heard Morgan and the others headed closer. She knew they knew who she was, so she ducked down another hallway and made her way back out and to her car where she sat and cried for at least an hour. He didn't need anyone seeing her there only to tell the bitch so she could destroy him even further when actually there was really nothing going on with Aaron and the sitter, but Dash knew the woman would make something up.

Friday morning, she skipped classes again and went back to the hospital. He was up and awake and when she saw him and he saw her, a small smile curved at the corners of his lips. She started to walk in, but a nurse came by to tell him Haley was coming. Seemed that the nurse knew as well. Dash sighed softly and disappeared again, but this time only down the hall and out of Haley's vision. She watched from the other room as Jack went in to see his dad and then another agent…she knew him, too….hm. Couldn't remember his name at the moment, but after a few minutes, he left with Haley and Jack and when they were in the elevator, the nurse waved Dash back and she slowly walked into the room, looking at him.

Aaron was destroyed. It looked like every last bit of life he'd had in him was gone. She slowly walked over to the bed and was going to take his hand but suddenly decided not to, and leaned one hip against the bed.

"You can't…be here." He said quietly.

She blinked and looked over her shoulder at the door then back at him. "Because of her?"

Aaron shook his head just a bit. "No. Because I…of other things. It's not….safe, Dash."

She bit her bottom lip. "For…h-how long? Is this…why you haven't called?"

He sighed and closed his eyes. "It's a lot of things, Dash. Please. I…I can't tell you right now. Just. Go home and forget me."

"Oh right. Just forget the man I've loved for so long now? Hardly."

Aaron knew she'd never do it. But as much as he wanted to be held in her arms. To be in love again. To want to be with that 'special' person…he knew he wasn't about to risk it since the Reaper was just looking for people around him. He knew he was going to hate himself for this…but suddenly he barked at her, "DASH! No! Just…GO! I don't want you around me! What the hell do I have to do to get that through your head? You're supposed to be smart!"

She jumped back a good foot. He'd never yelled at her before and she felt like he'd just shot her in the heart. "I…I….d-don't wanna g-go!"

Aaron loved her. More than he'd ever loved Haley. This wasn't even an arguable fact. But he loved her enough to push her away if only to keep her safe. "Dashelle, I swear to God, if you don't get out of here and leave me alone, I'm going to call the team and have them arrest you for harassing a federal agent and THEN it gets real!"

The confusion swirling in her brain was more than she could process right now and the tears started. But her throat was so constricted that she couldn't say anything and she turned and ran out of the room, out of the hospital, down to her car, and in less than ten minutes, she was gone entirely.

Aaron sighed heavily and closed his eyes as the nurse walked back in and began noting the monitor's readings. "That was nice of you to do that. I know it hurt. But you keeping her safe is very….well…"

He didn't say anything He couldn't. Haley and Jack were going into protective custody because of the Reaper. They'd be fine. Dash didn't have that generosity. She'd be his first target. If anything else, he wasn't about to risk the girl's life just for his own happiness.

It was almost three months after Aaron had told her to go away. Which she did. She fought the instinct for the first three weeks to not call him even though every thought was till on him; she tried to push them away which only made them stronger. She took a break from school for a semester and tried to concentrate on clearing everything out of her life to start new again but all the effort was futile.

Aaron Hotchner would never leave her mind.

She'd picked up a part time job at a local 24 hour diner and was happy to be working the late night shift, working 6pm till 1am and the tips were good. She was making a bunch of new friends and she was doing well.

It was after a shift on a Tuesday night, close to 2am, walking into her apartment with some food from the diner which she was going to save for lunch the next day. As she walked into the dimly lit apartment, she set the Styrofoam holder on the table near the door, tossing her keys and her phone into the bowl nearby and turning to lock the door. She no sooner started to turn around when suddenly she was shoved hard back against the door, and a gloved hand pressing over her mouth to keep her quiet. The man's body pressing hard against her was clothed in black head to toe with a black mask on and a hoodie over that to hide his entire visage. Dash's heart was pounding and she tried to swallow but her mouth was completely dry. Her eyes wide, she stared into the soulless eyes behind the mask as he growled quietly, "My my my, you _are_ a tasty little treat."

But one thing that this person didn't think was that if one was going around with an FBI profiler, he was bound to teach her a thing or two in self defense and without anything more than a blink, Dash brought her knee up fast and, more importantly, hard into the intruder's crotch.

The man suddenly felt that jarring pain that immediately spread like a fire through every nerve ending the heartbeat before he howled and let her go, almost dropping to his knees, but forcing himself to lean against the door as he tried to catch his breath as he watched her run back into the bedroom. With a growl still on his lips, and a definitive limp now, he made his way back to the room and of course found it empty. But they were four stories up and the window wasn't open. He looked around and a wry grin tugged at his lips. "Oh come on, now, Dashie. Why play games? You're not getting out of here."

Dash held her breath as much as she could as she watched the shadow moving around her room, her mind trying frantically to reason this out. Another thing Aaron had taught her was to remain calm. No matter what. Course she realized that she needed to keep a phone in the small closet now even if always on a charger just so in case this happened again she'd have a way to….WHAT THE HELL was she saying? What were the odds of this happening agai-

Suddenly the door was ripped open and like a tiger, the man reached in and grabbed her, dragging her out and throwing her onto the floor, straddling her as she struggled to get away. Unfortunately she wasn't so good on the 'keep calm' direction right now, but any normal person in her situation would have done the exact same. Finally when she'd almost worn herself out, he produced a long knife and ran the tip slowly against her cheek.

"Don't be so impossible, Dash. This won't last long." A dark, sick chuckle was heard from behind the mask. "But I can't guarantee it's not going to hurt."

She froze. Looking up at him, still panting softly. "H-how do you…..."

"Know your name? This is what happens when you associate with FBI agents."

_Aaron!_

Her mind raced. Aaron? But what would….who…oh dear God. This must have been the…and she took a deep breath. "I haven't 'associated' for a long time! I'm done with Hotchner!" she said.

A soft snort as the knife traced down her neck to the base of her throat. "You will be when I'm done with YOU."

She closed her eyes and swallowed again, waiting for it.

"This you can completely blame on him. Hurting _you_ is the best way to get at him." The man growled. "The Boston Reaper makes people pay their debts when people screw with him. Tell me if this hurts" And on that, he slid that knife downwards and easily pushed half of the six inch blade into her side just below her ribs before pulling it out again. "Soon it won't. As your blood starts to leave and you start getting cold and numb."

Dash's eyes flew open at the invasion of pain and she bit back the scream but instead said, "Wait! I know how to get at him even better than me!"

The man froze. What the hell….?

"Hi-his wife. E-ex-wife. H-H-Haley….she…she di-divorced hi-him but…."

"I know all this. And they freakin' took her and put her ass in protective custody. What about her?"

"They…hid her, R-right? I…know…I can find he-her…-for you."

This was something that the Reaper could use. "What do you mean?"

"I…I know the ….the agent that t-took her…a-away. I'm sure that h-he…can te-tell you!"

The Reaper smiled behind the mask. "You can get me to him?"

"H-his name is…is…BUT…you ca-can't kill h-him. "

"I won't kill him," the knife teased at her shoulder and across to the center of her chest, the tip digging in a little harder.

Her eyes closed at the little slice as the knife point drove in just a bit. "K-Kass….m-meyer. K-Kassmeyer."

The Reaper stared down at the girl for a long minute. It was true Hotchner hadn't had any contact with her and he knew there was no hiding it if he had been. The Reaper was good at what he did, especially surveillance but the occasional help here and there wasn't pushed away. That grin once more that the girl wouldn't see and suddenly, he pulled the knife away but in a flash, he slid it easily into her side, up to the hilt then just as slowly pulling it out and using her shirt to wipe it off before he stood up and headed to the door. He unlocked it, but reached over to pick up her phone from the bowl and tossed it to her as he disappeared out the door to find this agent. No. He wouldn't kill him. Outright. But this was the hint he'd been looking for. Now it was REAL personal.

Dash had felt the knife slide in but it wasn't a sharp, hard pain as she'd thought it might have been. It was a dull ache as the blade sliced cleanly into her. But as the blood began seeping then flowing from the four inch cut, she shakily reached over to get the phone and dialed 911. Telling the operator her address and she'd been stabbed and needed immediate help, she felt her head start to swim and she tried to focus as she hung up and started to scroll through the numbers on her phone. Finding Aaron's, she pushed the button and it started to ring.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Voicemail.

She whined and cut the call off. She needed to tell him NOW. Not in a message. When the paramedics came, she'd tell them. Then they could tell him. But as they walked in the door, she opened her mouth to tell them but suddenly in a wash of activity and loudness and hollering and all, her voice grew fainter as they began putting in IVs and putting her on the gurney and before she knew it, she was unconscious.

And everyone's world would change in the matter of the next 2 hours...

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/TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple**

**\- Oscar Wilde.**

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"You never told me…really…" Aaron said quietly as fingertips traced lightly against the scars on his wife's side as the couple lay on the couch in front of the slowly dying fire in the hearth. It was late, well past midnight, and Jack had been in bed for a while now. Aaron and Dash had started watching an old movie on television that he remembered he and Jack and Dash had watched late one night when Haley had stayed out with her friends and sister, but then things began…spilling out of the girl. And here they were..

Dash sighed softly as she shivered just a bit at his touch. "What was I going to do? Call you and tell you 'by the way, the guy you were chasing just stabbed me, I need you'?" a soft snort. I'm not like Haley. I don't demand your attention. Besides…you told me to go away and leave you alone."

Aaron closed his eyes and dropped his forehead against her temple and a quiet mumble. "I'm so sorry. But I didn't want him to…"

"Come at me? Well that idea didn't work as well as it should have, huh?" but she was smiling as she snuggled closer to him. "It's all right. I survived."

"So…he came at you. He…found her through…." Aaron said, not quite knowing what to say or how. He'd been through the funeral. Brought Jack to live with him at his apartment and put the old house up for sale. There was no way he could set foot in there again. Jessica had indeed started babysitting the boy but Aaron had noticed that she was getting a little too…possessive. And he had no intention of the Brooks starting a custody war. He didn't cut them off of visits, but they weren't allowed to take him without Aaron knowing about it.

Almost a year after the funeral, he _re_-hired Dash as a live in nanny for Jack. He trusted her and she could still go to college classes she needed to when Jack was in school. She'd made the effort to work around both of their schedules and in all fairness, Aaron wanted her back in his life. Things were just…_better_ when Dash was around. It didn't surprise anyone, really, when he married her the next year and things fell into that rhythm that Aaron so craved. That rhythm that would at least allow him to relax about things at home and let him concentrate on his job.

Dash looked at him, biting her bottom lip, looking into his dark brown eyes. "I couldn't take another minute knowing what she'd done to you…or what she was doing and telling Jack about you. I swore…that night you dropped me off after she 'fired' me…that I'd get her back. I could see you weren't happy. Even after the divorce…and how she tried to keep you away from Jack. I knew you wer struggling through things. I knew you wanted them back. But i wanted to be that distraction that helped you realize that _Hey! Even if this thing with her won't work, you can still enjoy life! _All I wanted in this world was to see you smile again…and I did for a little bit. Before Foyet."

Aaron sighed again and closed his eyes. He couldn't say he was happy about what the Reaper had done. But in all honesty, he'd released Aaron from the hell that his ex-wife had been putting him through. Even though he knew Jack was all right with her…he still worried. Haley was reckless and, to be totally honest, it was all about "her". It was never about Jack. When he'd heard that she kept calling her mother from protective custody even when the agents told her not to since it would compromise her life, Jack's life and even her parents. He was, and still to this day is, so….angry with her.

"I don't know what to….." he started, quietly.

Dash felt all those emotions running over her. "I told you…because it's time you knew the truth."

He looked into her green eyes for the longest time. "Dash…" he said softly.

"I love you. I always have. Ever since the first day we met. You always had that special….way. To make people feel special and needed. To make them feel like even when no one else could see that they were human….you'd bring that to them. You did that for me, Aaron. Between studying all the time and my aunt being away at work with double shifts and all at the hospital…I had no one. Except you."

He frowned slightly and as he listened, he tried thinking if she ever had told him about her parents. "I thought…you lived with your parents."

She shook her head just a bit. "No. I lived with my aunt and uncle. Uncle Dean died when I was eleven. I've been living with them ever since I was a litte kid. My parents were...killed."

"I'm sorry." He mumbled. "We never really….talked about this. I didn't mean to bring up the feelings again."

She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder as they stared into the fire for a minute. "It's ok. They were fine for parents, I guess. I remember bits and pieces. Nothing that would really stand out in my mind. I asked my aunt when I was thirteen, I think, about them. They were young. My mother was 29 when she died. My dad was 32."

"That's real young. Do you mind if I ask how it happened?" he said.

She took a breath and said quietly, "They were driving home one night after a night at the movies. They were having one of those _'Finally a night at an R rated movie without the kid'_ sort of things. I don't even know what they went to see. I was left with a sitter. About 1 a.m. the police knocked on the door and told the sitter that there had been an…"incident"…with them and they needed to talk to the closest relative. One set of grandparents were dead, the other had moved to Italy just before I'd been born. So the sitter called the only other people she knew. My aunt and uncle here. They came up to Massachusetts and talked to the police and….they agreed to take me in since they were my only living relatives here. They didn't mind. They're actually very nice."

Aaron looked at her. "Wait a minute…Massachusetts?"

Dash sat up and locked her gaze onto his. "When I was seven years old…the Boson Reaper killed my parents. He'd done his infamous cop thing…pulled them over and shot my dad then stabbed my mother 29 times. The detective working the case...Shaunessy...said 'one for every year she'd been alive'. I don't know if it was one of those _cop_ jokes or what. He was a bastard, anyway. So see? Actually what you did protecting Jack…you helped me get the revenge I've wanted on that bastard since I was a baby." She leaned closer and brushed her lips across his so gently and a mumble. "So…thank you."

Aaron couldn't ….think. He couldn't breathe for a moment. He couldn't imagine what she'd just told him. _Shaunessy...saying things like that, and even if he didn't, Aaron was sure one of the others did. He wouldn't put it past any of them. They got hostile once Shaunessy had taken the deal with the Reaper and had sent the BAU away. It was actually strange from the beginning but Aaron couldn't question it and even though it bothered him for the ten years after, he had to keep it on the back burner. But...this. Gods._

"Oh please. Don't look so alarmed. You didn't know. I guess it was just karma that Foyet started killing again. And that he'd come to me to make you hurt. " She lay down against him again, her head back on his shoulder.

He closed his eyes and sighed softly. Call it karma. Chance. Dumb luck. Whatever. It all comes back to "What you reap, so shall ye sow." But no matter what, The Reaper was gone. Haley was gone. And for the first time in years, Aaron was happy in his life and he didn't see anything changing that.

But then…no one could ever be certain of the future, right?

~ Fin

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_(( AN: THANK YOU to all you out there. I appreciate every one of you, truly. And thanks to my best friend ever in this world, Aqua Zephyrus, who can write Hotch better than anyone I've seen in years. She has an account on here. Check her out! Thanks for the understanding during my little break. Sorry about that. And who knows? Things change. Karma never stops and neither does the BAU so...who's to say that Aaron's future is secure? ~.o I Love you guys! XOXOXO))_


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